What Do I See There?
by Shimmerbreeze
Summary: ADOPTED BY BAYDEAR
1. Sneak Peak

_~What Do I See There?~_

_**~Hi Shimmerz here! So I decided to give you a little sneak peak of my newest works for being so late on my other Fanfictions :3 I hope you guys like this! **_

_I wish it wouldn't be this way forever_

Five years later, Hisana passed away and Rukia was forced into being Lady of the House, no more hakama pants, no more sword fighting, no more friends that were boys and one more thing added to the list. Marriage. The Elders and her father were busy looking for the perfect man for Rukia to marry to uphold the Kuchiki name. One day they sent her to a local matchmaker to see what the woman would have to say.

Rukia was in with the matchmaker for over an hour. When she came back out she refused to meet her father's eyes. The matchmaker motioned for Byakuya to come in and she sat him down and told him that his daughter was one of the most uncivilized, un lady-like, and downright rudest girl she'd ever had come into her. When he took his leave, Rukia grabbed his sleeve.

"Father, I can explain please." She said.

"Rukia, be quiet. You have dishonored your family today and I don't want to hear another word from you from now on." He said coldly.

"But father—" Rukia stopped at the look he shot her and bowed her head. "Hai, father." She said looking at the ground as tears filled her eyes. The ride home was once again silent and awkward.

"Go to your room and do not come out until dinner." Her father said not even looking back at her. Rukia nodded and walked to her room in forlorn silence.

"Why can't I do anything right Chappy?" She asked her pet rabbit quietly. "I guess I'm not the perfect daughter he wanted." She said looking out of her window. Suddenly, she knew she had to get out of here. She would run away while she had the chance. She would go live with Ichigo, he and his family had moved to the same town that Rangiku lived in, so she would know some people. She grabbed a bag and quickly started filling it with all of her hidden hakama pants, yukutas, and haoris.

_**~This is all ya get ;P It's from somewhere in the middle of the first part of my story :P I'll give you a little background on the story thought. I was watching Mulan the other day and thought, what if this was Rukia. So I am taking the story of Mulan and twisting it into a AU Bleach story of MY liking :D. If you don't like the sound of that you don't have to read it. **_


	2. The Beggining

_**~What Do I See There? ~**_

**~Hi Shimmerz here! So the other day I was watching Mulan and thought, what if this was Rukia? So I started planning my next one-shot! In this, I have made Rukia, Hiana's and Byakuya's daughter. Just for fun you know? I hope you guys like it! You'll meet some characters that you already know and love and even some new ones that I am introducing eventually. I'm going to try and make this into a one-shot, but if I get the feeling it'll be really long, I'll break it into chapters. **

_Look at me_

Rukia Kuchiki, daughter of Hisana and Byakuya Kuchiki, noble in a northern prefecture of Japan, shoulder length black hair, dark violet eyes. On the outside she seemed to be the perfect lady, noble and poised looking, polite when need be, quiet and meek around elders. In reality, she was always causing havoc around the Kuchiki mansion. She would dress in hakama pants and a yukuta and haori instead of the traditional kimono that noble ladies wore. She insisted on secretly learning how to handle a zanpakuto. She rode horses and fought with some boys she'd met on an excursion away from the mansion. It drove her father and Oiji-sama insane, but her mother just indulged her.

When Rukia was thirteen, Hisana grew ill and weak so her little "rebellions", as her father would call them, were put almost on a total halt. She was sat down and taught calligraphy and how to serve tea. Even so, Rukia always found time for her friends.

_Look Through My Eyes Once and a While_

"Rukia!" A loud whisper came through the stable where the young girl was leading her white mare, Sode no Shirayuki, out of her stall.

"Renji?" She asked turning around.

"Who else would it be? Hurry up! I think your father is on his way out here." Her friend, Renji Abarai, an orphan with spiky red hair and black tattoos, said looking over his shoulder.

"Get on then!" Rukia said swinging up onto Shirayuki and holding out her hand to him. He took it and leaped up behind her. She urged the white mare into a canter and they raced out of the stables and into the dirt road leading into a small town.

"Rukia! Get back here, what do you think you're doing?" Byakuya yelled after his daughter and her friend.

"Sorry Papa!" Rukia called over her shoulder laughing. She and Renji continued on through the small town and onto the bigger one next to it. There was a festival going on and they weren't going to miss it. They were going to meet up with some other friends of theirs.

"Hey Rukia and Renji are here!" A small girl with dark brown hair and big brown eyes called happily, she was standing next to a boy with bright white hair and holding the lead to a deep red horse.

"Hi Hinamori-chan! Toshiro!" Rukia said pulling her horse to a stop and jumping off.

"Ready for some fun?" Momo Hinamori, Rukia's best friend, said.

"Of course! Has Ichigo or Orihime showed up yet?" Rukia asked. Momo shook her head.

"You guys are the first ones here." Toshiro said. "And I think Orihime is bringing her cousin with her." He groaned. Rukia ad Renji laughed.

"Come on, let's go wait for them by the pond and wait for the fireworks to begin." Momo said grabbing Rukia's hand and dragging her off. The friends didn't have to wait long. Ichigo Kurosaki came running up with his two sisters tagging along. Orihime Inoue and Rangiku Matsumoto came soon after.

"Just in time for the fireworks!" Rukia said patting the spot next to her for Ichigo to sit. Indeed they were, no sooner had they sat down then the fireworks started.

"Uh, I don't think those will be the only fireworks we se tonight guys." Renji said standing up quickly. He pointed to a small group of people making their way towards them.

"Oh man, my dad went and got Ukitake-sensei and Unohana-san." Rukia said looking up. Her father had gotten Rukia's calligraphy teacher Juushiro Ukitake and her "lady skills", as Rukia liked to call them, teacher. Along with them, he had her Oiji-sama and a few other Elders.

"Time to go!" Ichigo said grabbing his sister's hands and pulling them up. With that, the little group of teens scattered. Orihime and Rangiku followed Ichigo and his sisters.

"See ya next time Rukia!" Orihime called out over her shoulder.

"Definitely. Ow hey Renji what was that for?" Rukia asked holding her arm.

"Less talk more run!" The red-haired boy said pulling her faster. Momo and Toshiro were following them, but the adults chasing them were faster.

Rukia felt a hand fall on her shoulder in a very tight grip. She looked up to see her father's very unhappy face and she frowned.

"Hi daddy." She said smiling, he frowned sternly at her. Behind them, Unohana had Momo by her hand, Ukitake had Toshiro by his ear (it was his uncle after all anyway), and her Oiji-sama had Renji by the shoulder as well.

"You are in enormous trouble young lady." Byakuya told his daughter as he pulled her over to where the teens had left the two horses. Byakuya swung up onto Rukia's horse and pulled her up in front of him.

"I am very disappointed in you two." Genrei (Oiji-sama) said putting Renji up behind Byakuya. Rukia hung her head and waved goodbye to Toshiro and Momo who were getting a similar scolding from Ukitake-sensei. The ride home was a very long and silent one. When they arrived at the mansion, Byakuya swung down and grabbed Rukia. He then tossed the reigns to Renji.

"Put the horse up and then go to bed." He said walking towards the house.

"Night Rukia." Renji whispered.

"Night Renji." She said following her father.

After that night, Rukia was kept under intense watch, and had a bodyguard follow her everywhere. The only time she got to see her friends was when Ukitake-sensei brought Toshiro and/or Momo with him to her calligraphy lessons. As he put it, every young lady should still have friends who love and respect her, no matter what her father thought.

_I wish it wouldn't be this way forever_

Five years later, Hisana passed away and Rukia was forced into being Lady of the House, no more hakama pants, no more sword fighting, no more friends that were boys and one more thing added to the list. Marriage. The Elders and her father were busy looking for the perfect man for Rukia to marry to uphold the Kuchiki name. One day they sent her to a local matchmaker to see what the woman would have to say.

Rukia was in with the matchmaker for over an hour. When she came back out she refused to meet her father's eyes. The matchmaker motioned for Byakuya to come in and she sat him down and told him that his daughter was one of the most uncivilized, un lady-like, and downright rudest girl she'd ever had come into her. When he took his leave, Rukia grabbed his sleeve.

"Father, I can explain please." She said.

"Rukia, be quiet. You have dishonored your family today and I don't want to hear another word from you from now on." He said coldly.

"But father—" Rukia stopped at the look he shot her and bowed her head. "Hai, father." She said looking at the ground as tears filled her eyes. The ride home was once again silent and awkward.

"Go to your room and do not come out until dinner." Her father said not even looking back at her. Rukia nodded and walked to her room in forlorn silence.

"Why can't I do anything right Chappy?" She asked her pet rabbit quietly. "I guess I'm not the perfect daughter he wanted." She said looking out of her window. Suddenly, she knew she had to get out of here. She would run away while she had the chance. She would go live with Ichigo, he and his family had moved to the same town that Rangiku lived in, so she would know some people. She grabbed a bag and quickly started filling it with all of her hidden hakama pants, yukutas, and haoris.

She grabbed Chappy and gently put her in the bag. "Only for a moment Chappy." She said softly. She opened her door and looked around, her trademark bodyguard was no where to be seen, so she tiptoed out into the hallway and snuck quietly out to the stable. Thunder rumbled in the distance. She glanced at the sky and the dark clouds that were rolling in and she grimaced. She peeked into the stable to see Renji working on some stalls.

"Renji," she hissed. The red-haired man looked up in surprise.

"Rukia? What are you doing here?" He asked putting down the rake he had.

"Sneaking out. Can you get me some non-flashy tack for Sode no Shirayuki?" She asked. He nodded and disappeared for a moment. He came back with a plain brown saddle and halter.

"Will these work?" He asked handing them over. She nodded quickly and led Shirayuki out of her stall. She looked around and grabbed a rag and smeared some dirt on it and rubbed it all over her coat to dull her white hide. Then she tied more rags to her hooves to dull the noise they would make.

"Sorry Renji. I'll write explaining everything later." Rukia said.

"Wait, you might want to cut your hair first. Everyone will recognize you with long hair. No one will expect it to be short and cropped looking." Renji said.

"Do you have anything I can cut it with?" She asked looking around. Renji thought for a minute and reached into a chest.

"I have some shears, but they are kind of dull." He said passing them to her.

"They'll have to work." She said taking a deep breath and gathering her hair in one hand. Using the other, she sheared her hair off at her shoulders. Renji was right, the shears were dull and it took some hacking, but finally, her long hair was no more.

"Oh hold on." Renji said as she mounted Shirayuki. He ran into his room and came back out with a wrapped bundle. He handed it to her and smiled. "I saved it when your father destroyed all of your "man stuff"." He laughed. Rukia unwrapped it to find her zanpakuto.

"Arigato Renji. You're still my best friend. So, you'll forgive me for this one day." Rukia said slamming the handle of the sword onto the top of his head, knocking him out. "So you don't get fired or worse." She whispered nudging Shirayuki into a gallop. Instead of going through town, she went through the woods. She took one last look at her home and shook her head.

_Everything Has Changed_

Two weeks after leaving home, Rukia came upon an army camp. She thought about skirting it to avoid being seen completely, but she knew the lookouts would see her anyways and she didn't want to be a prisoner of war. An idea crossed her mind, and she hopped off of Sode no Shirayuki to contemplate. Fifteen minutes later, her hair was cut shorter and she had a band wrapped around her chest, not that there was much to begin with, and fresh hakama pants on.

"Come on Shirayuki, Chappy, it's time for a new take on life." Rukia said hopping back into the saddle and nudging her horse into a trot. When she approached the camp, the guards halted her.

"Who goes there?" One asked.

"Rokuro Abarai." Rukia said. _'Sorry Renji,'_ she thought to herself. "I want to volunteer for the army. I can fight hand-to-hand and with a sword." She nodded at her hip where her zanpakuto hung. "I'm not too bad with a bow either." She said. She really wasn't, but she'd never gotten lessons in it and she wasn't too sure on her aim.

"Hmmm…dismount and stay here." The guard said disappearing into the camp. Rukia slid from Shirayuki's back and waited a bit impatiently for the guard to return. She stood waiting for about five minutes before the guard came back leading a man with shoulder length shaggy black hair.

"I am General Kazuhiro Inowa. My guard here tells me that you want to join the army. Any particular reason Rokuro?" General Kazuhiro asked her. For a minute all Rukia could do was stare dumbly.

"Rokuro! That question demands an answer. Tch, young nobles these days." Another mans voice snapped Rukia out of her daze and she looked over to see an older man with gray hair standing beside General Kazuhiro. Sasakibe Chojiro, she'd heard stories about him, being an excellent strategist and one of her fathers closer friends. She gulped.

"Gomen'nesai General. Sasakibe-san. I dazed off for a minute." Rukia said lowering her eyes.

"That much was evident." Kazuhiro said rolling his eyes. Something was off about this young boy but he couldn't quite place it. "Now, the answer to my question please."

"Oh yes, right. Well, I uh, I'm the 6th son in my family and decided I wanted out of the house and wanted to do something to impress my parents, so I thought I'd join the army to prove to them I was worthy of being their son." Rukia said thinking quickly. _'Please let Renji have no want to join the army.' _She silently begged whatever kami was watching over her right now.

"Hmmm, so you have skills in swordplay?" Sasakibe asked her narrowing his eyes slightly. "What was your name again?" he asked.

"Um, Rokuro Abarai sir." Rukia stammered nervously.

"Abarai… would you happen to have a brother? Works as a stable boy with red hair? Hmmm, could have sworn that Byakuya said the boy was an orphan, he must have been talking about someone else though." Sasakibe said the man shook his head. "Sir, maybe it would be good to let the boy in. He might actually be of use and his horse looks to be of noble breed." Sasakibe started looking over Sode no Shirayuki.

"Hmmm, well if he proves to be of more worth than most of the men sent here by army officials then he can stay." Kazuhiro said scratching his chin. "Hear that Rokuro? Prove to me tomorrow at sword practice that you have more worth then most of the men here then you can stay. You fail and you'll be leaving on foot and that horse of yours will stay here." He said turning around. "You can put your tent up over there." He pointed at an empty space next to a small tree. With a nod to the guards and Sasakibe he walked off.

"Sword practice starts at 7:30 in the morning. Don't be late." Sasakibe said following Kazuhiro. Rukia bowed to them and then nodded at the guards before going to set up her tent. She tied Sode no Shirayuki to a tree and smiled slightly.

"I did it Chappy." She whispered to her bunny, which was in her bag. (_**A/N: Lolx, sorry I know it kinda sounds like animal abuse). **_"Maybe now I can find out where I truly belong." She said as she finished pitching her tent. She crawled inside and yawned. She had traveled far and long today, she deserved a rest, she figured. As she closed her eyes, she caught sight of herself in her katana, which she had unseathed for some odd reason.

Rukia sat up and stared at herself long and hard. No longer did she have long, shiny black hair like all Kuchiki's had, but she had short, kind of choppy looking hair. Her pretty violet eyes had dark circles under them and she looked haggard. No longer was she Rukia Kuchiki, but now she was Rokuro Abarai. But still, she couldn't help but wonder who she really was…

**~So? What did ya think? Definitely one of my most long chapters for anything I've written. So I told **_**BayDear **_**that I'd have this up by Saturday, but I finished it early and thought I'd post it today! And hopefully I will try to update every Monday or Tuesday depending on what I have going on that particular week. **

**~Thank you to my Reviewer: **

_**BayDear: I thought of Byakuya being her father on a whim. I am glad I caught your attention so wonderfully. **_

_**~Shimmerz~**_


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